Page 13 of Worthy Now
“I’d fucking love to, Cooper. Follow me out back, and we can settle this thing right now.” I do my best to appear unruffled, but on the inside, I’m vibrating with a violent need.
“You can’t be serious.” Tessa’s bewildered squeal lands in what little space remains between us. Megan and Carter move closer, having picked up on the crackling tension.
“What’s going on?” Megan looks to Tessa for an explanation, who simply rolls her eyes, clearly annoyed by our posturing. “Taking part in one big-dick-contest doesn’t seem enough for Jake tonight, so he’s decided to take Shane out back to have an actual fistfight.”
“You need any help with that?” Carter manages to get out just before his entire body gets rocked by a violent hiccup.
“No thanks, man. I’m confident I can handle this little maggot all on my own.” Draining the remainder of my beer, I place the empty bottle on the bar. “Let’s go,” I snap with a jerk of my chin. Shane never breaks eye contact, blowing up his chest like a peacock.
“Lead the way.”
“This can’t be happening. Is no one going to stop this?” Tessa’s frantic gaze pinballs between every single person in our group, waiting for someone to step up and see reason. Newsflash. It won’t be me.
“Just doing what I should’ve done years ago,” I point out and turn away, heading for the back door of the building. I haven’t even taken two steps when a delicate hand snakes around my wrist and clamps down with surprising strength. Tessa steps around me and blocks my way, her blazing gaze boring into mine with the intensity of a thousand suns.
“I swear to God, Jake. If you step out that door and start throwing hands like some uncivilized ape, I’m leaving. I thought we were past this high school bullshit. Have you learned nothing?” Her eyes are all but pleading with me to be the bigger man, and as much as I hate to admit it, I know she’s right. What the hell am I doing? I know better than to let the likes of him get to me. “You’ve had a few drinks, which makes this seem like a great idea right now, but I promise you, you’ll regret it come morning. Please,” she urges, placing her hands on my chest and soothing me in a way no one else can. “He’s not worth it.”
“Listen to the little lady, Jake. I’d probably just kick your ass again, anyway.”
My lips twist into a cruel smile, and I open my mouth to speak, but Tessa beats me to it.
“Would you shut the fuck up, Shane?” she spits, rounding on the other man with furious eyes. “I suggest you quit provoking him if you want to keep your teeth. I only have so much influenceover him, and I can assure you this is not a fight you can win. I hate to break it to you, but you aren’t in the best shape.” I chuckle, crossing my arms over my chest and smirking at Shane, who’s visibly shaking with anger.
“You didn’t seem to have an issue with my physique when I had you pinned beneath me,” he leers. Tessa’s eyes pop wide, mouth agape like she can’t believe the gall of him. That’s all it takes for me to lose my shit all over again. I have him by the collar of his shirt before he has time to react, pulling him in so close our noses almost touch.
“Watch your fucking mouth,” I snarl, feeling absolutely feral. “One more remark like that, and I’ll rip your arms from their sockets and beat you with your detached limbs.”
Tessa lays a calming hand on my forearm, once again acting as the angel on my shoulder.
“Let him go. Don’t you see what he’s doing? He wants you to lose control. You’re not a reckless teen anymore, Jake. Think of everything you’ve built. One punch, and he’ll press charges. Is this really worth going to court for?”
“He’s disrespecting you, and I won’t have it,” I growl. My fists tighten around the lapels of his shirt when that smug smile appears on his sweaty face.
“Don’t you dare use me as an excuse to get into a fight, because I don’t care what he says. His words mean nothing to me. He means nothing. He never did.”
“What’s it gonna be, Nelson?” The pudgy fuck taunts in a bored tone. “I’m turning gray over here.”
“Oh, shut up, Cooper. We both know you have nowhere to be, seeing as even your own family doesn’t seem to want to be around you.” The pulsing vein on his forehead suggests I hit a nerve, which gives me just enough pleasure to release my hold on him. Shane drops back on the flat of his feet and runs a hand down his shirt, smoothing out the evidence of my rough treatment.
“I’m disappointed.”Oh, trust me. No one is more disappointed than I am.“Not as much fun as you used to be, Nelson. Shame. I would’ve loved to see your ass rot in a jail cell again. Really cracked me up the last time.”
The growl rising from my chest can only be described as inhuman, and Tessa has to physically turn me away from the asshole before she forces me to meet her eyes. “He means nothing,” she repeats in a sure, steady voice, once again calming my inner beast. “He holds no power over us anymore.”
Fuck. This is killing me.Every fiber of my being wants to put him in his place. Teach him a lesson and make him feel every ounce of pain he’s caused me. But I have a reputation to uphold now.One that’s taken me years to rebuild after my father left a black stain on my legacy. A slimy prick like Cooper isn’t worth risking it all for. I’d be wise to check my pockets for drugs, just to be safe. Guys like Shane have no conscience, and I don’t want to give him an opportunity to undermine my credibility. Besides, I promised Tessa a night of fun. A few hours for her to let loose and forget about the shit she’s got going on at home. Am I really about to let that spineless turd ruin what has otherwise been a perfect evening? Would it feel good to ram my fist into his face? Fuck yes. Would it still feel satisfying when the police arrived to cart my ass off to the station for the whole town to witness? I don’t believe it would. It causes me physical pain to back down, and I want to scream at the unfairness of it all, but I know I’m doing the right thing.
“Get the fuck out of here,” I spit, giving him a look that suggests he’s lucky I’m still sober enough to make smart choices. A couple of drinks later, and there would’ve been no reasoning with me. Shane lingers for a moment, glaring at me like he’s hoping I might change my mind. When he realizes I won’t give him what he’s looking for, he reluctantly turns away. I let out a slow breath, unsure whether I feel bereft or relieved.
“I never liked that fucking guy,” Carter slurs while we watch Temu Johnny Cash disappear into the crowd. “So, are we still playing this stupid game, or are we over it?” he inquires, mostlikely hoping my run-in with my old nemesis made me lose interest. Here’s the thing. I already backed down from one challenge tonight, and as pathetic as it makes me sound, this stupid game of ours is all I have left.
“We’re most definitely still on,” I tell him, ignoring his pained groan. “Tell you what. Let’s hit the pause button for a few. I need to get some air.” I avoid looking at Tessa when I say this, too riled up to hide my agitation, and I don’t want her to see how much Shane’s taunts affected me. I know she feels bad for the choices she’s made, and I no longer feel the need to rub it in. I just need a moment to cool off and get my head on straight, that’s all. “How much time’s left on the clock?”
“Twelve minutes,” Megan dutifully supplies, not missing a beat.
“Alright. We’ll pick it up when I get back. I won’t be long.”
Pushing through the back door of the saloon, I inhale the crisp night air as I run a trembling hand through my hair. My adrenaline is dropping and my run-in with Shane seriously messed with the pleasant buzz I had going. The back of the building is blissfully deserted—nothing but dumpsters and the surroundingwoods. Nobody ever comes out here, which is precisely why I’ve chosen this exit instead of the one leading to the crowded parking lot at the front. I need space to get my temper under control. Fuck, that guy really gets under my skin. I hate how easily he got a rise out of me. Tessa’s right. He doesn’t matter. He’s nothing but the dirt beneath my boot, and yet, every time we bump into each other, I want to rearrange his face.
I’d like to think I’ve evolved from the hot-headed kid I used to be. I’ve put in the work and have come a long way in so many aspects of my life. But Shane Cooper has been, and always will be, a sore spot for me. The mere thought of that sleazy asshole putting his grimy hands on my woman makes me want to break things.My woman.What a fucking joke.For all I know, she’ll be on the road back to LA the second the doctors give her mom the all-clear. She can tell me she’s missed this town and its people all she wants, but the fact is, her life isn’t here and hasn’t been for quite some time. I’d be smart to remember that. I lean against the cool brick wall and let my head fall back, gazing up at the starry night sky.
